The government has decided to review the deals signed under the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010, commonly known as the indemnity act for the power and energy sector.

Yesterday, the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources formed a five-member national committee to review the contracts.

Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, a retired judge of the High Court division, will lead the committee.

The other members are Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of World Bank's Dhaka office, Abdul Hasib Chowdhury, a professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Ali Ashfaq, a chartered accountant, and Mushtaq Khan, a professor at the University of London, according to a gazette notification.

The notification said the committee could collect data from any source and audit any necessary documents. It can also call on any person or organisation concerned to hearings and review whether the government's interests have been protected in the agreements.

The committee will then make recommendations based on its findings, the notification said.

After taking charge, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources, said they would stop using the indemnity act.

The act allows the power and energy sector to award public contracts without floating any tender notices. It also safeguards the government's actions in the energy sector from judicial proceedings.

On September 4, the government took the initiative to import liquified natural gas from the spot market in accordance with the Public Procurement Rules 2008, moving away from using the indemnity act.